A daily dose of a widely used, safe, and inexpensive antibiotic could help reduce preterm births, according to a study involving nearly 1,000 pregnant women in Zimbabwe. The research, led by an international team and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole significantly lowered the rate of premature deliveries, particularly among women living with HIV. These findings offer a potential new strategy to combat preterm birth, a leading cause of child mortality worldwide.
The study, conducted by researchers from Queen Mary University of London and the Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, focused on pregnant women in rural Zimbabwe. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the antibiotic or a placebo daily, alongside standard antenatal care. While the antibiotic did not significantly increase birth weights, it led to a 40% reduction in preterm births, 6.9% in the antibiotic group compared to 11.5% in the placebo group. Notably, no babies in the antibiotic group were born before 28 weeks.
For women with HIV, the results were even more striking: only 2% of births in the antibiotic group were preterm, compared to 14% in the placebo group. Additionally, babies exposed to the antibiotic weighed an average of 177 grams more at birth.
Bernard Chasekwa, the study’s first author, noted: “Our trial showed an intriguing suggestion that this antibiotic may improve pregnancy length and reduce preterm births. Further trials in different settings are needed to confirm these findings.”
Professor Andrew Prendergast added: “A low-cost antibiotic could be a game-changer in reducing preterm births, especially in regions with high HIV rates. This approach might help save countless newborns’ lives.”
The study highlights the potential of a simple, affordable intervention to address preterm birth, a critical global health challenge. While more research is needed to validate these results, the findings could pave the way for new strategies to improve outcomes for mothers and babies, particularly in resource-limited settings.
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